Dirk Vander Hart

Trump called in the National Guard to defend a U.S.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in the city that has been the target of protests.

But the deployment has been held up in court.

A federal judge barred Trump from sending in troops earlier this month.

Then an appeals court ruled last week the deployment was lawful.

But that ruling is now on pause.

Judges with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals are weighing whether to give the matter a closer look.

They expect to decide by Tuesday evening.

Protests at the ICE facility turned briefly destructive in June, prompting a partial closure of the building.

Since then, demonstrations have mostly been small and peaceful, though attendance has ticked up since Trump called in the guard.

For NPR News, I'm Dirk Vanderhaart in Portland.

On Monday, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled President Trump could deploy National Guard troops to the city.

But on Friday, the Ninth Circuit froze that order until at least next Tuesday.

The court said it needs more time to decide whether a larger group of judges should take up the case.

The continuing legal battle over the president's authority to send in the Guard began in late September.

That's when Trump ordered 200 Oregon National Guard troops into Portland after months of protests outside a U.S.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.

To date, no National Guard troops have been deployed in the city.

For NPR News, I'm Dirk Vander Hart in Portland.

On Monday, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled President Trump could deploy National Guard troops to the city.